


Food for the Soul

by agentsimmons



Series: Gluten Free Waffles [4]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bruce Banner Cooks, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Canon Divergence - Iron Man 3, Light Angst, M/M, Past Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, Protective Avengers, Protective Bruce Banner, Protective Tony Stark, Science Bros, Team Dynamics, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-01-24
Packaged: 2018-09-14 01:43:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9151246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentsimmons/pseuds/agentsimmons
Summary: Tony knows how he feels now. Unfortunately, The Mandarin waylays any plans he might have had to confront the issue. Or maybe he gives both men a reason to.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This work uses stylized text messaging CSS because I was bored or something. If it's distracting, you can hide the style and it will read the same. Likewise nothing will be lost in translation if you download this work.

Bruce curled up on the couch in the penthouse, tea in one hand and Starkpad in other as he read an article in lieu of sleep that wouldn't come in the empty place. Steve, Clint and Natasha had shown up for the holidays, and to be near for some reason Fury didn't seem inclined to specify, but they were staying on one of the completed floors below. One of those was for him if he felt like moving Tony had said. Bruce just hadn't gotten around to moving yet. He rather liked torturing himself with Tony's ghost instead.

Suddenly his phone lit up with a message where it sat beside him. He furrowed his brow at it and set aside the tablet in exchange for the phone. Given the time, he didn't have to guess who it was. It was obviously the man who'd given him the phone in the first place. He sighed, realizing it meant Tony wasn't asleep either. From their correspondence, he knew that the nightmares were still going strong. Tony… Tony on the other hand seemed to be growing weaker, from what he could gather from their conversations.

He read the screen and saw the first message from Tony.  
  
**Tony:** I'm gonna try but not sure if I'll make it back for Christmas like I promised.

Bruce smiled in spite of himself. He was really looking forward to seeing Tony again, but he'd given up any hope of Tony coming back when the genius never once mentioned it – not even when he'd told him about his break-up with Pepper. He had assumed the other man had forgotten all about that fleetingly mentioned plan. Maybe he had and was only just remembering. A stray, pre-dawn memory. Bruce certainly had plenty of them.

**Bruce:** You didn't technically promise. It's fine.  
  
**Tony:** No but I want to be there. And I definitely will be there by New Year's.  
  
**Tony:** And I just realized I didn't even get you anything.  
  
**Bruce:** You gave me access to a lab. That's plenty for at least two Christmases.  
  
**Tony:** More like three.  
  
**Bruce:** That may be pushing it.  
  
**Tony:** I'm laughing.  
  
**Bruce:** Out loud?

Bruce missed Tony's laughter. Sure, it wasn't like they didn't speak on the phone or by video call, but that was a distant thing. It was like an echo of what it was like to hear it in person. It was different from sitting just across the table from the man and watching the corners of his eyes crinkle as his mirth brightened his face so much one would think the light from his reactor was illuminating every part of him. Bruce broke from his reverie and glanced back down at his phone.

**Tony:** And the jokes keep coming. Seriously whatever you want for Christmas just have JARVIS order it for you.

Well, he definitely didn't want a large, inflatable bunny that was for sure, he thought with a snort. He'd told Tony that was a bad idea when he'd texted him about it before. And after the break-up, he'd almost worried it would show up in the lobby of Stark Tower as revenge for shooting down Tony's enthusiasm so candidly.

A thought suddenly occurred to him then.

**Bruce:** When was the last time you slept?  
  
**Tony:** I don't think that's what we were discussing.  
  
**Bruce:** Yes it is. How long?  
  
**Tony:** Uh a little over 72 hours?

"JARVIS, please order Tony to go to sleep for me," Bruce said, even as he looked down at his phone at the new message. And then of course the subsequent one.

**Tony:** But I just made a new suit and plus the break up. Is it weird that she's still living with me even after a break up? Is there precedence for that? I mean it's not like she has anywhere to go right away. And she probably still doesn't trust me to be by myself.   
  
**Tony:** Are you kidding? You just had JARVIS order me to go to bed?  
  
**Bruce:** You said I could have him order whatever I wanted for Christmas.   
  
**Tony:** Oh so you want to sleep with me for Christmas, Dr. Banner?

Bruce nearly dropped the phone. No, of course he didn't… Well, it probably wouldn't be bad. So, maybe he wouldn't mind… His fingers typed out three different messages before taking a breath and not making it weird by ending their repartee now.

**Bruce:** If that's what it takes sure.

Then again, maybe that was the wrong answer. Tony didn't reply for a long time. He wasn't sure if it was what he'd said or if the other man had actually gone to bed finally or maybe he'd gotten caught up in whatever he was most probably tinkering on in his workshop.

**Bruce:** Are you okay?

There was another wait and Bruce was just about to put his phone aside, frowning as he did, when Tony finally replied.

**Tony:** I was about to ask if you were spying on me.

Bruce furrowed his brow.

**Tony:** Might have just had a bit of an accident with a new suit. Maybe 72 hours is a little long to go between siestas.  
  
**Tony:** But you mean with the break up right? Yeah I am. We agreed it wasn't going to work. It probably wasn't working for a while. I mean I feel bad about it because… well a lot of other reasons I guess. But I'll admit I'm too tired to get into it right now. And you probably wouldn't be interested anyhow.  
  
**Bruce:** Well you know that last part isn't true. But please try to get some rest. 72 hours is too long, Tony.

Bruce sighed and put his phone away in a metaphorical cutting him off. He didn't know it would work, but he figured it couldn't hurt. Bruce didn't want to be another distraction keeping him awake.

"I'm not going to reply to anymore of his texts, JARVIS," he told the AI as a back-up plan. "But if there's any kind of emergency I miss, let me know."

"Of course, Dr. Banner. May I suggest you take your own advice and sleep as well? Your sleeping habits of late have also left much room for improvement."

Bruce chuckled, shaking his head, and finished with a sigh. "Alright, JARVIS," he surrendered, setting aside his tea and lying down on the couch. He turned on the television and, maybe because he was feeling a little silly with nostalgia, changed it to a cooking channel. As he nodded off, he wondered if the waffles he'd had express mailed to Tony would make it there before Christmas.

* * * *

Tony was deep in thought, face scrunched up tight and gaze fixed on the unconscious man in the hospital bed. It was only broken when his phone vibrated and he looked down at it. He'd texted the only person who could get him through this nightmare, even if he wished he was there in the room with him, but that had been an excruciatingly long hour ago.

Bruce had finally replied.  
  
**Tony:** My friend Happy was at the Chinese Theater  
  
**Bruce:** oh my god Tony is he

Tony sucked in a sharp breath and looked back at Happy, reminding himself that he was okay. Well, no, not okay, but at least he was still alive. And Happy was a fighter. He was going to beat this.

He returned his attention to his phone.

**Tony:** He's stable.  
  
**Bruce:** Thank goodness. That's good. That's a good thing.  
  
**Tony:** No he's in a fucking coma and it's my fault!

Tony closed his eyes and shook his head, remorse for lashing out at Bruce filling him immediately. No matter how upset he was, he didn't want to treat Bruce that way.

**Tony:** I'm sorry.  
  
**Bruce:** Don't be. And it's not your fault.

"Of course you'd say that," Tony said aloud, a small smile touching his face at Bruce's easy manner before it turned rueful.

**Tony:** He was worried about Pepper. She had an interview with this guy today. He called me. Doesn't know we're not together anymore. He wanted to trail some shady character and idk maybe he did?   
  
**Tony:** Police on the scene said he was pointing at something. Think that means anything?  
  
**Bruce:** It could. But none of that makes it your fault.  
  
**Bruce:** Maybe he was there for some other reason.  
  
**Bruce:** Or near there and had a run in with the actual bomber and not the other guy.  
  
**Bruce:** Even if it's connected that doesn't make it your fault.  


"Oh, Bruce," Tony sighed as he read the words over again. "And yet you're so quick to blame yourself, huh, Big Guy?"

He sighed again and hung his head for a moment. Bruce could say it wasn't his fault. Tony could even try to believe it. But he was still in a hospital room listening to the sound of one of his oldest friends' heart monitor all because of him for some reason or another. Even if it was just one small stone that started a landslide, he was pretty sure it could somehow all be traced back to him. The point of origin, that's what his classified and unedited SHIELD file called him.

**Tony:** It feels like my fault. It feels like I'm losing control of everything. I've been losing control since that damn portal and I'm sick of it.   
  
**Bruce:** Maybe it would help if you had another friend there with you? Or the team?  
  
**Bruce:** After all with an attack that close we're worried.  
  
**Bruce:** I'M worried

Tony held the phone for a long moment, wondering how to respond to that neutrally all the while wishing it meant something more than it did.

**Tony:** Rhodey said the military doesn't want the Avengers getting involved.  
  
**Bruce:** This isn't about the Avengers. It's about you. This is about us making sure you're okay because we're your friends. Because we want you to be okay.

Tony was considering a reply when another one popped onto the screen.

**Bruce:** I want you to be okay Tony

Tony's eyes widened and in spite of everything he hoped that maybe… Just maybe…

But, no, he couldn't let himself think about that right now. He couldn't even let himself hope for it. For one, he probably didn't deserve it. For another, he needed to fix things first. Now wasn't the time to complicate matters. And he'd like the reassurance of still having Bruce as a friend at least when all was said and done. He didn't want to run the risk of ruining that just yet. Not now.

Still a small part of him sincerely hoped.

**Tony:** I will be. I promise. 

* * * *

Bruce sighed into his tea as he sat on the couch in the common lounge watching the news. Natasha, Steve, and Clint were there too. Natasha was on the phone with Pepper, Steve was on the phone with Fury trying to veto his opinion that they stay out of it and Clint was sitting a few spaces down on the couch watching the news too.

Every now and then Bruce looked at his phone, hoping for it to light up with another text from Tony, but he'd given up correspondence hours ago. He'd asked Natasha to ask Pepper how he was, but apparently he was still at the hospital. Maybe he'd fallen asleep, Bruce hoped. Although he couldn't imagine Tony would allow himself to fall asleep that easily in a public space, let alone a hospital, given his nightmares.

"Does he know?" Clint asked in a conversational tone. It was a vague question with no segue.

"What do you mean?" Bruce didn't look at him. He couldn't keep his eyes from looking anywhere but down into his tea like it held the answers. All it held was memories of mornings past.

"Do _you_ know?"

Bruce finally forced himself to look over at the archer. He was studying him intently, causing Bruce to furrow his brow. Did he know... what? There was an inkling in his mind what Clint had picked up on, but before he could give it any thought his attention was jarred by the television.

Tony was standing outside the hospital, surrounded by press as CNN declared that this was live coverage. The billionaire seemed momentarily stunned by the ambush, probably annoyed, and Bruce had to admit it was a good thing he wasn’t there or who knows how he'd react on Tony's behalf against the horde.

Suddenly a reporter off camera shouted, "When is somebody gonna kill this guy?" That finally got a reaction from Tony. "I'm just saying."

"Is that what you want?" Tony asked, taking off his glasses. "Here's a little holiday greeting I've been wanting to send to the Mandarin."

"Oh god, Tony. Don't," Bruce whispered in worry. "Whatever you're thinking—"

"My name is Tony Stark and I'm not afraid of you. I know you're a coward. So I've decided that you just died, pal. I'm gonna come get the body."

"Shit," Clint cursed beside him. "He just threatened a terrorist. Steve, tell Fury we're not taking no for an answer." He got up and moved over to where the Captain was.

"There's no Pentagon. It's just you and me," Tony was still going. "And on the off chance you're a man, here's my home address."

"No, no, no, no," Bruce muttered in a panic, trying to will away the spike in his heartbeat. He put his cup on the table and hurried over to where Natasha was holding her phone slightly away from her ear in shock.

"Give me the phone," he demanded. She blinked at him and then furrowed her brow. "The phone," he said again and then took it from her. "Pepper? Pepper, are you still there?"

"Bruce?"

"Yeah, listen… did you just see the news?"

"No, I—"

"Tony just threatened the Mandarin on live television."

"He did _what!?_ "

"And gave out his address," he added and she began a long rant about how Tony was a suicidal idiot and right now Bruce was inclined to agree, but at the moment there wasn't time. "Pepper, where are you?"

"I was just about to leave for the office. I have a staff meeting to ensure everyone that Happy—"

"Skip it," he urged. "You need to get out of there. You need to get Tony out of there. Do whatever you have to, Pepper. I'm going to call him. We're on our way. Just…" He looked back at the television and shook his head. God, if anything were to happen to him...

"I understand," she whispered. Then she sighed as if in resignation. "He'll be okay, Bruce. It's Tony."

"I know, I know. He can handle it." Bruce gave a sigh of his own and ran a hand through his hair. "I just really wish he wouldn't make his life more dangerous than it needs to be."

She gave a choked laugh that sounded a little like a sob. "And this is why it never could have worked between us. I can't handle _this_ anymore. I could barely handle him before." Bruce felt a little uncomfortable being the sudden shoulder for her side of the break up. "But I'll get his ass out of here safely one way or another."

"I know you will," Bruce said and hung up the call so she could do just that.

* * * *

Tony nearly jumped when the doorbell rang, stirring him from his deep study of all things The Mandarin. "Are we still at ding-dong?" he griped to JARVIS. "We're supposed to be," he banged the nearest surface angrily, "on _total security lockdown_. Come on! I threatened a terrorist."

And he hadn't heard the end of it. Bruce wanted to know what he was thinking, reminding him he'd promised he'd be okay. Pepper was insisting they leave. And Director Fury had sent him angry messages telling him not to move a muscle until the team got there, since apparently they were all on their way.  
  
"There's only so much I can do, sir, when you give the world's press your home address," JARVIS replied sardonically.

Tony sighed and put on his latest suit. He cautiously made his way upstairs, telling JARVIS to go ahead and let in the woman he'd seen on the security footage. The woman turned out to be a one night stand by the name of Maya Hansen, which was more than a little bit of a surprise, but now wasn't the time to give anyone the upper hand in his own home while on threat watch. She could be there for any number of opportunistic reasons.

"Right there is fine," he told her as he raised his face plate. "You're not the Mandarin." She looked at him with eyebrows slowly rising as she looked the suit over. "Are you?"

"You don't remember," she said with a snort, buying it. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Don't take it personally," he countered, looking her over, wondering why the hell she'd reared her head after all these years. "I don't remember what I had for breakfast."

"Gluten-free waffles, sir," JARVIS supplied.

"That's right," Tony said. He kept his expression neutral, but a twinge of pain went through his chest in spite of everything. Of course he hadn't remembered. Because the store bought gluten-free waffles were completely ordinary and non special. Now probably wasn't the time to dwell on it though.

"Okay, look, I need to be alone with you someplace," she looked around, "not here. It's urgent."

Now he was even more confused and definitely more suspicious. That said, he remained flippant. "Okay, normally I'd go for that sort of thing, but there's this guy—" Suddenly a bag of luggage fell to the floor from upstairs, harshly interrupting that thought.

"Tony?" Pepper's voice followed. "Is somebody there?"

"That… That's not the guy in case you were wondering," he said with a look at Maya.

"Does she even know about the guy?" Maya gave him a condescendingly dubious look.

"It's Maya Hansen," Tony called back, completely ignoring Maya's question. "An old botanist pal." His mind was racing through reasons for her to be there and at last he blurted, "Please don't tell me there's a twelve-year-old kid waiting in the car that I've never met."

"He's thirteen," Maya responded evenly, looking around at the house as she did.

Tony flinched. "I… Well, Bruce likes kids I guess…" She looked back at him with a quirked eyebrow. "Seriously?"

She rolled her eyes. "No, I need your help."

"What for? Why now?"

"I saw the news. You won't last a week."

"I'll be fine," he started, but got no further when Pepper interrupted again as she finally joined them.

"You know, with everything that's happening, I didn't know we were expecting guests," she said in a scrutinizing tone.

"We weren't," Tony replied, reminding him of why this didn't add up.

"And old girlfriends?" Pepper raised an eyebrow.

"She's not, really," Tony defended himself.

"No, not really," Maya agreed. "It was just one night," she explained.

Pepper looked at Tony with a shake of her head. "That's how you did it, isn't it?"

"It was a great night," Tony offered, but he had a feeling that didn't really matter. Maya just shrugged.

"Well, Maya, was it?" Pepper looked back at the other woman. "You saved yourself a world of pain."

Tony's eyes widened. "What?" He studied her. Was this about the breakup?

"I'm sure," Maya replied smoothly.

"Trust me," Pepper reiterated.

"Pepper, if this is about—"

"It's not," Pepper cut him off. Then she rolled her head back on her shoulders and looked up at the ceiling. "Okay, maybe a little, but honestly, Tony. I told you. This has been coming. It's always been difficult with you. I told you that when we started." He frowned. "But we're not doing this now," she said matter-of-factly as her head came back down to sit straight. "Now we're going out of town."

"We've been through this. That's not happening. Fury said—"

"I don't care what Fury said and neither do you," she pointed out. "We are leaving. Immediately and indefinitely."

"He said not a muscle."

"I'm pretty sure he doesn't mean that literally," Pepper countered.

"I think leaving is a great idea," Maya inserted.

"It's a terrible idea." Tony glared at her. "Stay out of this."

"Tony, _normal people_ _don't threaten terrorists_ ," Pepper continued to insist. "And they especially don't stay in a danger zone! We're _leaving_ this house!"

"Guys?" Maya tried to interrupt.

"You can leave this house then," Tony spat, even if he didn't want that. Pepper was still an important person in his life and he couldn't protect her if she left. Then again, maybe she would be in more danger if she stayed near him.

"I told Bruce I'm going to get you out of this safely and so help me, Tony Stark—"

"You were talking to Bruce?"

"Can we, um…" Maya tried again.

"What?" Tony looked at the unwelcome visitor.

"Do we need to worry about that?" she asked, pointing.

Tony followed the line of her finger toward the television just in time to see the live news coverage of a missile headed towards his house.

* * * *

Bruce stared hard at his phone. He kept waiting for another message to come, for confirmation that Tony was okay. He was starting to worry it would never come. 

He'd given Tony a piece of his mind. They all had. But he felt just a little guilty for it because he knew Tony was already vulnerable in a way that Bruce understood first hand, and feeling like nobody was in your corner made things harder.  Tony had said he wouldn't break his promise and Bruce wished more than anything he could believe him, but the fear coiled in his stomach and the nerves wound tight that had him on a dangerous edge were stronger at the moment.  

He wasn't sure that the team being with Tony would make any difference, but it was at least something. He didn't want any of them placed in danger, Clint and Natasha were just as breakable as Tony after all and he didn't want to test the upper limits of what Steve could handle, but selfishly it was worth the risk so long as Tony didn't have to face this escalating situation alone. He was more than a little angry that the government, that S.H.I.E.L.D., hadn't done more to prevent it from escalating this far to begin with. With all due respect to Colonel Rhodes for his efforts, of course, although he knew from talking to Tony he was equally skeptical.  

 _Skeptical enough to throw himself into the mix without thinking_ , Bruce's mind supplied bitterly. 

"Incoming call from Commander Hill," Clint announced and hit a switch. "We're about an hour out," Clint said. "Would have been there sooner if we hadn't had to—" 

"Turn around," Hill commanded. "Return to the Helicarrier. Fury's orders." 

"What?" Bruce asked before anyone else could, although they were all looking at each other in confusion. "Why?" 

"What's going on here, Commander?" Steve asked, sounding like their de-facto leader. 

"Stark is down," she said in a regretful tone and Bruce's vision tunneled.  

"What do you mean he's down?" Natasha asked. "And Pepper?" 

There was a long moment of radio silence and Bruce wasn't sure if he was going to be angry or just sick.  

"Commander?" Steve pressed. 

"Stark's home was attacked by missiles about thirty minutes ago. The news aired it live." 

"Oh my god," Bruce breathed out, everything disoriented.  

"They're still searching for Stark, but he..." Even Hill, as much as she disliked him, seemed slightly emotional. "According to Pepper he was still in the home when it crumbled into the ocean." 

"Did he have a suit?" Bruce asked hopefully.  

"Not at the time. His suit was in use to get Pepper and another person from the home first. It was then dispatched after him, but it never emerged from the ocean as far as we know at this point, and Stark hasn't been found or made contact yet. It's not looking good at this point and Fury... Fury wants you back on the Helicarrier so we can coordinate a strike against the Mandarin. Fury's raised this to a Level 7 threat. He wants his Avengers—" 

"We should have been there sooner, Hill," Clint argued. "I mean, is this it? Is this all we're going to do? Wait around until people like Coulson or Stark are down for the count before we get our asses out there?"  

Suddenly it all hit Bruce with terrible clarity. They were Avengers. They were being called back preemptively, for the inevitable need to avenge— 

"Open the hatch," Bruce said desperately and looked around at the others with wide eyes as he took deep breaths in and out. The only response he got was wary glances between them. "Open the hatch!" he shouted and it sounded close enough to a growl that it got their full attention regarding the situation at hand. 

"I don't think we need to do that," Steve said, his voice both concerned and authoritative.

"What's going on?" Hill asked as Steve glanced at Clint. 

"We'll get back to you." He cut the call and moved from the cockpit. "I've got tranqs for this, Doc," Clint told him as he grabbed his bow.  

Bruce let out a bitter huff of air as he ran his hands through his hair. His mind was quickly falling apart. Tony was already being presumed dead and they thought _tranquilizers_ were going to be enough?  

"I don't want the damn tranqs!" he shouted, moving from his seat and onto the jet floor. "Open the hatch!" He closed his eyes and all of the feelings for Tony he hadn't wanted to accept surged through him at once, like a dam breaking, and all of the memories along with them. "Please," he begged, because it was too much. Too much anger and sadness and other things he hadn't known he could feel anymore; he just wanted to escape it all.  

He heard the hatch start to open and his eyes snapped open as well. He saw Clint and Steve looking toward the cockpit with uncertainty. He followed their gaze to see Natasha's hand move from the button.  

"Don't take this the wrong way," Natasha said, turning to look at him with an apologetic expression and touch of bitter mirth in her tone, "but I'd just as soon not repeat history."  

Bruce gave a grateful sigh and nod in understanding before hurrying from the jet before Steve and Clint could try and override her call. As he started his free fall and the green began to flood his vision, Bruce's mind was a fractured mess of thoughts of Tony and waffles and science and love and Ireland. The last thing he could see was Tony on the bridge of the Helicarrier, his first and possibly now ironic words to him echoing in Bruce's ears, before unconsciousness took him.  

* * * *

Tony sighed into the payphone, chilled to the bone in spite of his newly acquired poncho, and not knowing where to begin. As he'd made his way through the Tennessee landscape, with nothing but a sleeping JARVIS and his thoughts for company, Tony couldn't stop himself from wondering over and over how it had come to this. It had all gone so horribly wrong and his mind played back all the angles and trajectories that had led him here. He was supposed to be a futurist; having to see the answers in hindsight was unnerving. 

The one thing he kept coming back to was he never should have left Manhattan. Or maybe he should have left sooner? But only so long as one thing was assured in either situation: Bruce staying or Bruce following. If he were being truly honest, it all came back to Bruce and how he should have figured out where his head and heart were at sooner. Maybe he would have gotten the rest of his head on straight. Maybe Happy wouldn't have ever gone after that guy. Maybe he never would have had to challenge the Mandarin. Maybe Pepper and Maya wouldn't have been in harm's way. Or maybe he was still a mess, difficult as Pepper had said, and maybe Bruce would have gotten the worst of it instead. Maybe none of this was avoidable. Maybe it never would be as long as he was alive.

"Stark secure server now transferring to all known receivers," came the automated tone on the other end of the phone, prompting him to leave his message.  

"Pepper, it's me," he started with a sigh. "I'm okay. Look, I've got some apologies I need to make and not a lot of time. First, I'm so sorry I put you in harm's way. I'm always doing it and it's… selfish and stupid. I promise it won't happen again. Also, I'm sorry for what I've done to you in general. I've taken you for granted for years and I'm the reason it was unstable between us. I'm sorry if I hurt you or you feel like every moment with me has been a waste of your time. I'm sorry I didn't realize what was happening with Bruce sooner. I'm just sorry. You deserve the world. I can't be the one to give it to you, but I guess you really never needed anyone to give you things to begin with." He sighed again. "Look, I know it's not what Fury wants, but I don't care. I need to find this guy. Stay safe." Tony went to hang up the phone, but then added, "Also, I just stole a poncho from a wooden Indian." 

Tony pushed down the release with his finger and then considered his next move as the dial tone played in his ear. With a sigh he decided he needed to stop running away. There was a big chance he wouldn't make it out of this thing. He might as well tell Bruce the truth.  

Tony dialed Bruce's number and waited for him to pick up. He was surprised when it went to voicemail. A number of reasons why that might be, ranging from a Hulk incident to S.H.I.E.L.D. detaining him to prevent a Hulk incident to another Mandarin attack he's not yet aware of, rushed through his mind in a flash. He pushed them all aside when he heard the prompting tone.  

"Bruce, I don't know what's going on right now. Not sure if you've even heard. But I'm still kicking… Okay, well, that's probably too strong of language since I'm sort of freezing my ass off in the middle of Tennessee without a suit, but…" He sighed when he realized he'd derailed. "I just want you to know I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm going to have to break my promise to be okay since I'm going after the Mandarin. I'm sorry if I wasn't grateful enough for your help when I needed it. And I'm sorry if this is going to come as an unpleasant shock that ruins our friendship," he took a deep breath, "but here it goes: I'm in love with you. I'm pretty sure I've been in free fall since the Helicarrier, Bruce. And I know you're probably thinking I'm just cold and crazy, both of which happen to be true statements at the moment, but I can't imagine my life without you in it anymore." He paused and then, with a derisive snort, added, "So you should probably take that as your cue to get out of dodge." Then, sighing, he said, "Whatever happens I want you to be safe. I just want everyone to be safe."

Tony started to hang up the phone, unsure of what else he could possibly say. Then something he'd only ever shared with Bruce came to the forefront of his mind with sudden clarity. His eyes widened and he looked down at his chest, unable to see the little circle of light where it was hidden by the poncho. He looked skyward as it all settled over him. 

"This is my terrible privilege. I know you understand." 

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Next up on my list of: I will finish this work/series this year even if it ends up being garbage and a let down or SO HELP ME!  
> 2\. In case it's unclear, the first scene is a change up of the scene of Tony testing his new suit at the beginning of IM3. He's still testing it, but he's also simultaneously texting Bruce.  
> 3\. Also I realize that time is sort of wibbly-wobbly in this, but I s2g I have studied the IM3 script inside and out (because one of my very first attempts at Bruce/Tony fic was an unpublished rewrite of IM3 where it was mostly the same movie only Tony and Bruce had gotten together after Avengers so basically trash lol) and I have a really hard time understanding the timeline still to this day so *i tried gold star*


End file.
